Freshman (Undergrad) GPA Forum

[JessicaMG]

Hi all--


I had a simple question regarding my GPA as of right now. Currently, I have a 3.67 and I just completed my freshman year of undergrad. I understand that that's exactly an A- average. I walked away with several A's, one A-, one B, and two B+'s.


While I'm okay with this , I feel like it needs to be much higher in order to ensure I'm a competitive applicant for law school. So my question is, how bad is the situation? Let me disclaimer that I in no way think a 3.67 is a bad GPA. I think it's really good and I am proud of it considering some of the classes I had to take that I typically struggle with material-wise. Believe me, I'm content. It's just that I'm not satisfied because I know that A.) I can do better and B.) a 3.67 does not typically get one into a top law program.


So basically, has anyone been in a similar position their freshman year and made it into around the 3.8 territory? I guess I'm just really anxious because at this stage of the game, there's not much I can do to better my chances at law school other than earn a high GPA and get involved on campus/intern. And I feel like I didn't take advantage of getting a stellar GPA like I should have, especially considering it's one of the only things I can really do this early in the process.


Anyway, I could calculate my potential future GPA and all that (which I have and it helped me relax a little), but I would be really interested in hearing anyone who has a similar, real life, story to share.


I just don't want to get ahead of myself and say, "hey, if I get straight 4.0's the next two years I'll have a blah blah blah". I'm trying to be realistic here and so if anyone has some specifics that relate to my issue, I would love to hear. I doubt I'll be able to pull off straight A's or a 180 on the LSAT, etc. So, in my attempt to look at it through the most reasonable lens possible, I would love to hear how other people handled a situation similar to mine!


Thanks so much in advance!!

[ManoftheHour]

Because the legal economy is complete shit:

If you're a risk taker and you want to go all in for law school, the best thing you can do is major in basket weaving, take as few classes as possible to graduate, and get straight As for an amazing GPA. Study for the LSAT, get a 170+, profit. Double majors, internships, leadership positions don't matter. Unless you cure cancer, these softs hardly matter. It's entirely possible to get your GPA to a 3.8 if you do this. I think you could even be in 3.9 territory. I was at a 3.2 by the end of my sophomore year because I drank and partied too much...as a biology major. I ended up at a 3.6. If you are all or nothing for law school, then this route is the best route. By having a beef upped GPA, you can afford to miss a few more questions on the LSAT. However, if your LSAT score is shit and your major is useless, you'd be completely screwed (assuming you don't network well during UG), even with a 3.8+ GPA.

You could choose a good middle ground but you'll still need to keep a high GPA and get a high LSAT score. But because you chose a somewhat useful major, if law school doesn't work out, you can always have something to fall back on.

Admission to law school is almost a pure numbers game. Get a high GPA and high LSAT, and the rest are secondary.

Otherwise, major in something useful and forget about law school.

If I could redo UG and knew I was all in for law school, I would have just aimed to get straight As in the easiest major ever and focused all four years on studying for the LSAT and partying.

[JessicaMG]

Thanks for your input!!

In case anyone else is wondering, I do wholeheartedly intend on going into law. I really do appreciate you being so realistic with me also - I know the market looks bleak.

But you brought up internships and you mentioned that they're really very secondary in the whole application process. I'm just wondering if you, or anyone else, has input on what else to do other than get near perfect grades.

This summer, I have two ongoing internships lined up (pray for me - no joke). I also did one in the fall of this past year. I have some other stuff on my resume, but that's all concerning internships. Am I on track? Or am I getting ahead of myself here? Especially if schools won't put too much stock in them, should I be focusing on interning so much?


Again - thanks thanks thanks!

[Clearly]

Thanks for your input!!

In case anyone else is wondering, I do wholeheartedly intend on going into law. I really do appreciate you being so realistic with me also - I know the market looks bleak.

But you brought up internships and you mentioned that they're really very secondary in the whole application process. I'm just wondering if you, or anyone else, has input on what else to do other than get near perfect grades.

This summer, I have two ongoing internships lined up (pray for me - no joke). I also did one in the fall of this past year. I have some other stuff on my resume, but that's all concerning internships. Am I on track? Or am I getting ahead of myself here? Especially if schools won't put too much stock in them, should I be focusing on interning so much?


Again - thanks thanks thanks!

They are secondary. Frankly, you should aim to have something you can put on your resume, but short of being something truly rare, its not going to help. The best an ordinary internship can do is "not hurt" by avoiding a blank resume. I'm going to take the opposite angle and say you should really be looking to graduate in a market-feeding major and have a backup plan. Not everyone can break 165 on the LSAT and end up at a worthwhile law school, and having a terrible major and no T14 admissions or lower schollys could be devastating. Here's the important question, what are your goals as far as law go? Why do you want to be a lawyer, for whom would you like to work/doing what, and how much do you expect to earn?

[ManoftheHour]

Thanks for your input!!

In case anyone else is wondering, I do wholeheartedly intend on going into law. I really do appreciate you being so realistic with me also - I know the market looks bleak.

But you brought up internships and you mentioned that they're really very secondary in the whole application process. I'm just wondering if you, or anyone else, has input on what else to do other than get near perfect grades.

This summer, I have two ongoing internships lined up (pray for me - no joke). I also did one in the fall of this past year. I have some other stuff on my resume, but that's all concerning internships. Am I on track? Or am I getting ahead of myself here? Especially if schools won't put too much stock in them, should I be focusing on interning so much?


Again - thanks thanks thanks!

The reality is, it really doesn't matter to the admissions office. Put it this way: If you had a 170+ score and a 3.9+ but no internship/work experience, you'd STILL be competitive for HYS. Yes, that's Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. The best. I'm not saying don't do internships. Definitely do them if you want a grasp of how a certain industry works. I did internships and held leadership positions and I learned plenty much for them. I landed a job after college because of a combination of both. But do these things boost my law school application? No. I would argue not at all. Do these things because you want to do them, not because you think it'll help you get into law school because they won't.

If you are really all in for law school, keep that GPA as high as possible, major in something easy and something you really enjoy, and study for the LSAT. I cannot emphasize this enough. The LSAT is extremely important as even a 4.0 GPA, a 160 will not get you in the schools that you want to get in. Trust me. My stats: 3.6, 162 with a lot of work experience and internship experience. My best offer this cycle? Notre Dame (ranked #23) at sticker price.

There's no harm in starting to plan your life early, but make sure you take some time to enjoy college! It's a pretty amazing four year experience.

[ManoftheHour]

They are secondary. Frankly, you should aim to have something you can put on your resume, but short of being something truly rare, its not going to help. The best an ordinary internship can do is "not hurt" by avoiding a blank resume. I'm going to take the opposite angle and say you should really be looking to graduate in a market-feeding major and have a backup plan. Not everyone can break 165 on the LSAT and end up at a worthwhile law school, and having a terrible major and no T14 admissions or lower schollys could be devastating. Here's the important question, what are your goals as far as law go? Why do you want to be a lawyer, for whom would you like to work/doing what, and how much do you expect to earn?

OP, I agree wholeheartedly with this poster's post. Hence, I keep reiterating "If you are all in for law." I was. I don't know if you are. Only you know that. The advice I give is taking into account that there is literally nothing you want to do with your life other than law. As a freshman, I'm not sure if you can truly say that. It would be foolish to go all in for law if you later on discover that that is not what you want to do.

[indo]

Thanks for your input!!

In case anyone else is wondering, I do wholeheartedly intend on going into law. I really do appreciate you being so realistic with me also - I know the market looks bleak.

But you brought up internships and you mentioned that they're really very secondary in the whole application process. I'm just wondering if you, or anyone else, has input on what else to do other than get near perfect grades.

This summer, I have two ongoing internships lined up (pray for me - no joke). I also did one in the fall of this past year. I have some other stuff on my resume, but that's all concerning internships. Am I on track? Or am I getting ahead of myself here? Especially if schools won't put too much stock in them, should I be focusing on interning so much?



Again - thanks thanks thanks!

Try to get the highest GPA and LSAT score.

DO NOT emphasis on internships and school activities.

[dsn32]

I finished with a 3.62 GPA, and that was not at all exclusionary (you can take a look at my full cycle in profile). Get a 170+, gun for as high of a GPA as possible (mine limited the $$$ I was able to get), and most importantly ENJOY UNDERGRAD. It flies by.

[KD35]

First year/semester is hardly anything. A lot of students struggle their first year because of adjusting to college. For myself, I started out at a 3.5x (low 3.5 gpa) and finished at like a 3.76 or something like that by the end of four years. It is so easy to turn it all around, don't worry about it. That being said, make sure to do well in your classes from here on out. Each student gets somewhat of a grace with grades, a lot of people struggle one year or another. Make sure this is your "struggle year" and every other year is better.

And I second the whole ENJOY UNDERGRAD part. You're on this earth for another 50+ years...make the most of them.

[dsn32]

First year/semester is hardly anything. A lot of students struggle their first year because of adjusting to college. For myself, I started out at a 3.5x (low 3.5 gpa) and finished at like a 3.76 or something like that by the end of four years. It is so easy to turn it all around, don't worry about it. That being said, make sure to do well in your classes from here on out. Each student gets somewhat of a grace with grades, a lot of people struggle one year or another. Make sure this is your "struggle year" and every other year is better.

And I second the whole ENJOY UNDERGRAD part. You're on this earth for another 50+ years...make the most of them.

Agree with everything this poster wrote. I should note too that my first semester was a shade under a 3.1, so improvement is easy and you can bring your GPA up a ton, even from something as high as a 3.67.

[chuckbass]

OP, a 3.67 really isn't a bad start. I had a 3.2 after my first semester, and now going into my senior year I'm right around a 3.8, so you can definitely bring it up to a 3.8+.

[JessicaMG]

Thanks everyone who replied! You guys really helped ease some of my worries. I'm just gonna focus on improving my grades from here on out and kinda cool it on the "softs" that I've been stupidly worrying about.

I really really really appreciate all of your advice.

[Dr. Dre]

high GPA/LSAT is all that matter.

If you don't have that, don't go to law school.


Manofthehour: are you URM?

[ManoftheHour]

high GPA/LSAT is all that matter.

If you don't have that, don't go to law school.


Manofthehour: are you URM?

I wish. So f#$%ed if I don't get a 170.

[jbagelboy]

OP, a 3.67 really isn't a bad start. I had a 3.2 after my first semester, and now going into my senior year I'm right around a 3.8, so you can definitely bring it up to a 3.8+.

+1. First semester freshmen year I had barely over 3.0. I finished over 3.7. You're fine: relax and enjoy college, when its gone its gone forever and nothing is quite the same.

Internships/summer jobs are important to 1) gain insight on what you might want to practice, 2) craft your PS and overall UG experience, 3) earn dat $$ so you can have dispensable income during school, 4) gaps in your resume look shitty to employers and even in law school at OCI, 5) if you score badly on the lsat and have to reapply after graduation, establishing the credentials for a backup plan in another industry is key. Graduating with no income would be a serious mistake unless your a Romney or financial equivalent.

On their own in a vacuum, no, they mean little for admissions, and legal ones can be especially useless, but they are important in shaping a complete sell for your application which is particularly relevant at schools like Cal and YS.

You're too young to be on TLS. Go celebrate that youth and get laid.

[ManoftheHour]

You're too young to be on TLS. Go celebrate that youth and get laid.

[Dr. Dre]

I wish.

Oh wut? All this time i thought you were AA.

[ManoftheHour]

I wish.

Oh wut? All this time i thought you were AA.

We can still be friends, right?

[Dr. Dre]

We can still be friends, right?

For sure homie

[jbagelboy]

I wish.

Oh wut? All this time i thought you were AA.

We can still be friends, right?

MOTH lived near fig and Exposition for 4 years, he's basically been in the hood so he's got AA cred (unless he hid out in parkside like a n00b)